30 minutes can change your life. For my Kin class we were required to watch a Youtube video that emphasized the positives of engaging in 30 minutes of physical activity a day. A plethora of pros were described such as: mood lift, better concentration, improved sleep, and reduced anxiety. Now, I am a varsity volleyball player, so I figured that because I do so much physical activity during practice, an excess 30 minutes on an elliptical wouldn’t do anything. I was so wrong. After a hard loss, I decided to do 30 minutes of intense aerobic physical activity in the fitness room of our hotel. I plugged my headphones in, turned on a podcast and got to work.
As I am not one for cardio, those 30 minutes had a great impact on me. Not only did I have a great night’s sleep, I also played great the next day. My enhanced mood remained for the rest of the week!
From then on I made a promise to do at least 30 minutes of cardio a day, except on days when I am hungover (lol).
Not only does the added cardio make me feel great, I also use it as a creative brainstorming session. Similarily to a shower, except I have a starting point. According to Marily Oppezzo’s Ted Talk (https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/want-to-be-more-creative-go-for-a-walk-marily-oppezzo/id160904630?i=1000399647105&mt=2), exercising can increase creativity and give you a space to formulate ideas. And that is where I got the idea to create a platform for my life. This platform creates a space for me to organize my life, almost like a journal, but for everyone to see. I’m just hoping my identity is anonymous on this blog, but I have no way of telling.
I’d be lying if I said my new “obsession” with cardio had nothing to do with the weight I gained over the summer. I’m tired of looking in the mirror and seeing something I do not recognize and do not like. Even though it’s a little bit of weight, I still do not like it one bit. I feel almost trapped, and hopeless about the fact that I will not be able to get rid of it. I’m not sure if this classifies as “body dysmorphia” since I have gained weight, the number on the scale has not changed, but the circumference of my thighs and stomach has so I’m not really sure what is happening here! This “obsession” won’t turn into anything dangerous, because I know what I am getting myself into, and I know how to stop. My run in with bulimia in grade 12/first year is not a concern, because I know my boundaries this time around.
Lastly, I’d like to emphasize the “high” I get after exercise. I used to get it after runs, but when my knees started going to shit, I had to stop. Now I can get it on the elliptical and it’s great. There is nothing better than a sweaty neck!
So, in my relentless pursuit to not break the chain, I will be writing X’s on my calendar every time I hit my cardio requirement for that day, and even if it is only half an hour, it’s still better than nothing!
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